Trash & Recycling in Miami, FL

If you live in Miami or are thinking about moving there, trash & recycling are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Miami has 10 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of trash & recycling, and some of them might surprise you.

Illegal Dumping

Miami issues civil fines of $500 per occurrence for illegal dumping by individuals and $1,050 per occurrence when dumping is done from a vehicle, on top of separate right-of-way dumping penalties under Sec. 22-11.

Key details: Individual fine: $500 per occurrence. Vehicle-based fine: $1,050 per occurrence. Enforced by: city sanitation/litter enforcement officers. Also covered by: Sec. 22-11 right-of-way dumping.

Dumping refuse, litter, tires, construction debris, or hazardous material on public property, rights-of-way, or private land without consent triggers a $500 fine, or $1,050 if done from a vehicle.

Collection Schedule

Miami's solid waste department collects residential garbage twice a week for homes and buildings of three units or fewer, with a fixed curbside placement window enforced under City Code § 22-2.

Key details: Frequency: Twice a week. Applies to: Homes, buildings of 3 units or fewer. Set-out window: Night before, by 6:00 a.m.. Container: One city-issued bin per unit. Larger buildings: Franchised hauler, separate schedule.

Containers left out early, kept past the collection day, or otherwise noncompliant are subject to removal and can trigger an administrative or service fee under § 22-93; failing to maintain a valid commercial waste contract draws escalating penalties from $262.50 up to $1,050.00 under § 22-4.

Recycling Rules

Miami requires every multi-family building of four units or more to run a recycling program covering at least five material types, serviced by a city franchisee or licensed recovered-materials dealer.

Key details: Trigger: 4+ unit residences. Minimum materials: 5 types required. Servicer: City franchisee or licensed dealer. Liable party: HOA/condo association, not owner. Top penalty: $950.00 (101+ units).

Civil penalties under § 2-829 run $300.00 for buildings up to 25 units, $650.00 for 26-100 units, and $950.00 for 101 or more units that fail to provide a compliant recycling program.

Bulk Item Disposal

Miami lets residents set large trash and bulky waste at the curb only during the week of their scheduled special collection, no earlier than the evening before, kept clear of buildings, fences, poles and hydrants.

Key details: Placement window: Week of, evening before pickup. Clearance required: 5 feet from poles, fences, hydrants. Small trash bundle limit: 50 lbs per bundle. Governing law: Miami City Code § 22-18.

Setting bulky waste or furniture at the curb before the permitted window, leaving it out after collection week, or placing it within five feet of a fence, pole, hydrant or building is unlawful and subject to code enforcement action by the Solid Waste Department.

Mandatory Organics Recycling

Miami food service properties whose waste stream is mostly raw or processed organic matter must have it hauled away at least three times a week, with fines starting at $262.50 for missing the schedule.

Key details: Minimum removal frequency: 3 times per week. First-offense fine: $262.50. Repeat-offense fine: $525.00. Who it covers: food service properties. Produce-market franchisees: must offer composting program.

Failure to remove organic waste from a food service establishment: $262.50 for a first offense, $525.00 for a second offense and each one after that (§ 22-2(b)).

Dumpster Rules

Miami requires commercial dumpster pads to be concrete platforms, screened from view, and rodent-resistant, with containers barred from streets, alleys and sidewalks.

Key details: Pad material: Concrete, above ground level. Screening: Chain-link with slats or wood picket. Prohibited locations: Street, alley, sidewalk, right-of-way. Hauler cleanup radius: 10 feet around container. Enforced by: City Solid Waste Director.

Illegal or nonconforming containers can be ordered replaced on notice, and the city will refuse to service them; commercial containers left on public property are treated as abandoned and removed at the owner's expense.

Yard Waste Collection

Raking or leaf-blowing yard waste, dirt, or debris into a Miami street, storm drain, alley, or neighboring property is banned; violators get a warning first, then escalating fines under Chapter 22.

Key details: Governing law: Miami Code § 22-23. 1st offense: Warning, no fine. 2nd offense (6 mo.): $100 fine. 3rd+ offense (6 mo.): $200 per incident. Bulky yard trash: Collected weekly, curbside.

1st offense within 6 months: warning, no fine. 2nd offense within 6 months: $100. 3rd or later offense within 6 months: $200 per incident, billed to the employer if the violator was working for a contractor, landscaper, or HOA.

Recycling Requirements

Miami requires recyclables to be separated and set at the curb in the city-issued bin on your scheduled recycling day, and it's illegal for anyone but the resident or city crews to take them.

Key details: Governing section: City Code § 22-14(d). Materials covered: paper, cans, glass, plastic bottles. Where to place: curbside, city-issued container. Scavenging penalty: up to $500 fine or 60 days jail.

Unauthorized scavenging of curbside recyclables by an unlicensed person or firm violates § 22-14(d); the general penalty under § 1-13 applies: a fine up to $500, up to 60 days in jail, or both, with each day a separate offense.

Bin Placement Rules

Miami requires containerized garbage placed curbside no earlier than the night before collection and no later than 6:00 a.m. on pickup day, with containers retrieved by the end of the collection day.

Key details: Earliest set-out: Night before collection. Latest set-out: 6:00 a.m. collection day. Collection frequency: Twice weekly (≤3-unit homes). Container source: One city-issued container per unit. Removal: Container brought in by day's end.

Setting containers out too early, leaving them at curbside past collection day, or blocking pedestrian passage can draw a code enforcement sanitation notice and an administrative service fee under § 22-93; noncompliant or defective containers must be replaced on written notice.

Pickup Rules & Schedules

The City of Miami collects garbage from homes and small multifamily buildings twice a week, and containers must be at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on collection day.

Key details: Residential frequency: Twice a week (1-3 unit properties). Curbside deadline: 6:00 a.m. collection day. Earliest set-out: Night before pickup. Containers: One city-issued container per unit. 4+ unit buildings: Private franchised hauler, 2-5x/week.

Improperly set-out garbage, illegal dumping, or accumulated waste is enforced under Chapter 22 as a code violation carrying an administrative service fee under § 22-93; failing to maintain a required commercial recycling or collection contract triggers separate penalties under §§ 22-19–22-20.

The Bottom Line

Miami's trash & recycling rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Miami is broadly strict or permissive.

These rules come from Miami's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.